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When Crystal Schewe learned last fall that she was being awarded the Khalda Logan Inspiration Scholarship, she knew it was an honor. A junior majoring in secondary education, Crystal had never met Logan-Eaton, a popular assistant professor of communication at WestConn who died of lung cancer in 2007 at age 39, but she did know the scholarship was something special.

“Khalda Logan was a super-inspiring woman,” said Crystal. “You can’t mention her name without someone having a story to tell. When they hear about the scholarship, people ask me how honored I must feel.”

The Khalda Logan Inspiration Scholarship is an annual awarded presented to a student who embodies the compassion, spirit and drive that Logan-Eaton displayed throughout her life. Students must have a concentration in media communications, dance or education, a minimum of 60 credits with a 3.5 grade point average and financial need. Applicants are asked to read a biography about Logan-Eaton and respond in a 1,000-word essay.

Crystal, who pays her own tuition with the assistance of scholarships and loans, said paying for her education is sometimes a struggle. But for Crystal the Logan scholarship was more than just a way to ease her financial burdens. Crystal said when she met Logan-Eaton’s husband, Michael Eaton, at last fall’s scholarship ceremony, she had the opportunity to thank him and tell him how honored she was.

“He got to see the impact of the scholarship directly,” Crystal said.

“Scholarships are important, especially in today’s economy,” Crystal said. “It provides hard-working students the ability to continue their education. I know of students who had to leave school because of financial issues …. And it’s difficult to come back. A scholarship may offer that one chance a student needs to get that degree, that piece of paper that provides such opportunity.”